The present invention is directed to electrical connectors and more particularly to connectors for simultaneously tapping into multiple insulated wires.
Electrical connectors are used to connect various forms of components and equipment. For example, some electrical connectors connect printed circuit boards to wires, which are used to convey power to appliances and utilities, such as lighting fixtures, ballasts and the like.
Existing tap connectors are known, that are capable of tapping into an insulated, solid or stranded copper wire midway between the wire ends, without cutting or stripping the wire at the tap-in point. A conductor may be joined at the tap point to form a “T” intersection wire termination. Such tap connectors are limited, however, to tapping individual wires along the wire route, requiring the installer to make multiple individual taps. Wiring installations, e.g., lighting or control wiring, frequently involve multiple wires routed together through raceways or wire harnesses, such that installation of midway taps requires laborious, time-consuming tap connections to be made.
These and other drawbacks are found in current connector systems.
What is needed is a connector that overcomes these and other drawbacks by allowing multiple midway taps to be made simultaneously in the middle of a multiple wire run.